1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device, and more particularly, an image processing device for printing a plurality of manuscript data sets in a prescribed order based on composition guideline data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the fields of book printing and quick printing, a new catalog or manual may generally be made in the following procedure to maximize efficiency: First, the entire composition of the catalog or manual is determined; next, each chapter is assigned to one of the creators; then, all the creators get started on the project.
In view of such a procedure, Document 1, specified below, discloses a system in which a plurality of client personal computers (PCs) are connected with a printing device through a network. The printing device first receives a job combination list and, when all the registered manuscripts become available, puts the registered manuscripts together into one print job before printing it. In this procedure, a list that indicates the manuscripts to be combined as well as their order (job combination list) is sent to the printing device after the entire composition of the documents to be created is determined. Each creator then sends his or her finished manuscript to the printing device. When all the manuscripts on the list are available, the printing device automatically combines the manuscripts according to the list before actually printing them.
Document 1 describes a process in which an output time for a print job is set, and replacement of a manuscript is allowed until that output time. If not all the registered manuscripts become available by that time, the available manuscripts are put together and printed as long as the manuscripts that are absolutely necessary are available. A blank page is inserted to remove any irregularities for a center spread.
Document 2, specified below, discloses a system in which a plurality of client PCs are connected with a printing device through a network. Before a client PC sends a job, it attaches to the job the name of the group in which the job is to be combined and information indicating its location within it. After all the registered manuscripts become available, they are put together into one print job before being printed.
During this process, each creator attaches, to his/her manuscript, the name of the group in which the manuscript is to be combined, as well as information indicating its place in the order i.e. its location within that group, and then sends them all to the printing device. The composition of the documents to be created can be flexibly modified even after the entire composition is determined.
Recent developments for image forming devices have made it possible to incorporate functions specific to quick printing devices into image forming devices.
Image forming devices include multi-function peripherals (MFPs) which includes scanning functions, facsimile functions, copying functions, printing functions, data communication functions, and server functions, as well as facsimile devices, copiers and printers. An image forming device forms an electrostatic latent image using exposure of a charged photo conductor. The latent image is developed with a toner. The toner image is transferred to a sheet. The toner image is heat-fixed by a fixing device. Some image forming devices form an image on a sheet using an ink-jet method.    [Document 1] JP 10-16343 A    [Document 2] JP 11-212741 A
Instead of several people making a catalog or manual, someone at a normal office may want to combine several manuscripts and print them. For example, a manuscript creator may want to insert (or add) a drawing or data that someone else (“manuscript provider”) has created into (or to) his/her own manuscript, and print them as one print. The manuscript creator knows the entire composition of the print as well as which image forming device should output it. The manuscript provider may not do the same line of work as the manuscript creator. Usually, therefore, the manuscript provider knows the manuscript to be provided but doesn't know much about anything else.
According to the conventional art, the manuscript creator needs to send to the image forming device a list that specifies the manuscripts to be combined and their order after the entire composition of the print is determined. Then, the manuscript creator needs to communicate with the manuscript provider and ask him/her to send a needed manuscript to the image forming device. In this way, according to the conventional art, the manuscript creator needs to maintain a close contact with the manuscript provider to combine manuscripts into one print before printing it.